Course Syllabus History of Pottery

PC 120 History of Pottery

Class Hours Per Week: 3

Laboratory Hours Per Week: 0

Semester Credit Hours: 3

Contact Hour/Lab Credit Ratio: N/A

Prerequisites: None

Description: This course examines the historical development of ceramics and the contributions made by specific cultures or countries. Topics include potters from early societies, including the Mediterranean countries, China, Cyprus, and Crete with emphasis on design, technique, and firing methods. The course also surveys 19^th and 20^th century potters and artists who have contributed to the contemporary ceramics movement. Contemporary potters discussed include Leach, Cardew, and Hamada. Upon completion, students should be able to identify numerous historical pottery types, discuss the societies which produced them, and demonstrate knowledge of their production methods.

• Discuss numerous historical topics of pottery development (including shift from art to industrial to individual, techniques, design, cultural influences, role and status of the potter)
• Recognize and discuss the work of numerous contemporary potters

Course Outline

I. NEOLITHIC CIVILIZATIONS

1. Nomadic versus settled cultures
2. Early uses of unfired clay
3. The agrarian need for storage

II. EVOLUTION OF THE CERAMIC PROCESS

1. Hearth theory of firing
2. Basket theory of firing
3. Universal existence of clay

III. EARLY CULTURES OF THE MIDDLE EAST

1. Mespotamia
2. Anatolia
3. Syria
4. Cyprus

IV. MEDITERRANEAN CULTURES

1. Minoan society
2. Corinth & Athens
3. Red figure ware
4. Black figure ware
5. Technical accomplishments and firing process

V. CHINA

1. Early Chinese pottery
2. Chou dynasty
3. Han dynasty
4. T’ang dynasty
5. Sung dynasty
6. Ming and later periods
7. Clays & glazes
8. Kiln development

VI. KOREA

1. Silla period
2. Koryo dynasty
3. Yi dynasty

VII. JAPAN

1. Jomon Ware
2. Raku & tea ceremony
3. Ancient kiln sites
4. Pottery centers
1. Tamba
2. Mashiko
3. Bizen
4. Shigaraki

VIII. EUROPE

1. Spain
2. Italy
3. Germany

IX. INDIA

X. ANCIENT AMERICAS

1. Potters on Middle and South America
2. Early American Indian cultures

XI. CONTEMPORARY POTTERS

1. Ken Ferguson
2. Malcolm Wright
3. Shoji Hamada/Bernard Leach
4. Michael Cardew
5. Maria Martinez
6. Warren McKenzie
7. American Art Pottery
1. George Ohr
2. Rookwood Pottery
3. Various art pottery sites
8. Paul Soldner
9. Toshiko Takaezu
10. Maija Grotell
11. Lucie Rie
12. Hans Coper
13. The Meaders Family
14. Other contemporary slides

ASSIGNMENTS